Plate joiner with a handle having a superior orientation

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a plate joiner with a handle having a superior orientation. The joiner comprises a plunge cutting system having a cutter normally housed in a base for forming a plunge cut and a primary handle having a gripping portion with a longitudinal axis oriented substantially perpendicularly to the cutter.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the field of woodworking andmore specifically to a device used in plate joinery which providesprecision alignment for plunge cuts into joint surfaces.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Plate joinery permits accurate and secure attachment of workpiecesconnected at a joint. Typical plate joinery requires a device for makinga plunge cut or kerf in a joint surface designed for receipt of a plate(also called a biscuit, wafer, or spline) of wood or other material.Oppositely disposed grooves are cut into each piece of wood to bejoined. Then glue and a plate is placed within each groove, and theplates are allowed to expand from application of the glue. The expansionof the glued biscuit in the opposing cuts provides an accurate, strongwoodworking joint. Accordingly, plate joinery provides a strong, simple,and relatively long lasting joint for use in the field of woodworking.

Known plate joiner devices are generally comprised of a housing, a motorunit and a rotating blade section. A portion of the housing contacts ajoint surface and the rotating blade section is then operably movedtoward and engages a portion of the joint surface at the location of thedesired cut. The rotating blade then cuts into the joint surface and isretracted. A particular advantage of plate joinery over other jointforming methods is the ease of use, aesthetic result, and overallefficiency.

However, the handle on all known prior art plate joiner devices has aninferior horizontal orientation which provides limited ergonomiccompatibility with a user's hand for placement of the prior art platejoiners into position on a joint. Further, the horizontal handles onprior art plate joiner devices are located close to the base of thejoiner, thus allowing the user's fingers to frequently become pincheddue to the sliding action of the base mechanism as the plunge cut isformed. Accordingly, what has been needed is a plate joiner handleeliminating these problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a plate joiner with a handle having a superiororientation. The joiner comprises plunge cutting means having a cutternormally housed in a base for forming a plunge cut and a primary handlehaving a longitudinal axis oriented substantially perpendicularly to thecutter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a plate joiner showing removable miterguide means attached to the housing section and illustrating the shapeof cut which the device imparts to a workpiece.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of a preferred embodiment plate joinerdevice with a rear vertically-oriented handle grip and a forward-locatedremovably attached miter guide means shown positioned above a 90-degreeangle joint surface on a workpiece.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of a preferred embodiment plate joinerdevice depicting the relationship between a preferred miter guide means,a mitered carcase joint surface of a workpiece, and an outside workpiecesurface.

FIG. 4A illustrates a representative and partially opened miter carcasejoint formed by prior art plate joiner device in which the outersurfaces are misaligned due to referencing the location of the cuts frominside workpiece surfaces and due to different thicknesses of the joinedworkpieces.

FIG. 4B illustrates a representative and partially opened miter carcasejoint formed using a plate joiner device of the present invention inwhich the workpiece outer surfaces are precisely aligned independent ofthe different thicknesses of the joined workpieces.

FIG. 5 is a front elevation view of a preferred embodiment plate joinerdevice having the preferred miter guide means and the guide surfaceremoved.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary side cross-sectional view taken generally alongline 6--6, FIG. 5, illustrating a motor section output shaft in parallelrelationship with a blade section drive shaft and with therepresentative shafts connected by pulley and belt means.

FIG. 7 is a top plan view depicting a preferred embodiment plate joinerdevice having alignment means and viewing means illustrated.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Detailed preferred embodiments of the present invention are disclosed.It is to be understood, however, that the disclosed embodiments aremerely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in variousforms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosedare not to be interpreted as limiting, but rather as a representativebasis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ thepresent invention in virtually any appropriately detailed system orstructure. It will be understood that in some circumstances relativematerial thicknesses and relative component sizes may be shownexaggerated to facilitate an understanding of the invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, a plate joiner device 10 is illustrated. Platejoiner device 10 is shown in association with a workpiece 12 having asurface 14 which will form a surface of a joint between two workpieces12. Plate joiner device 10 is constructed and arranged to make a plungecut 16 in surface 14 of workpiece 12.

A plate joiner device 10 preferably comprises a base 20 on which ismovably mounted a housing section 22. As will be further detailed below,housing section 22 protects and substantially surrounds a motor section24 and a blade section 26, both sections being shown in more detail inFIG. 6. A guide surface 30 is located at the forward end of base 20.Guide surface 30 is designed for placement against a workpiece jointsurface such as 14. Guide surface 30 preferably includes anchor means 32for engaging joint surface 14 and for preventing lateral slippage ofplate joiner device 10 at initiation of, and during, wood cuttingoperations. Slot 34 is located in guide surface 30 to permit movementtherethrough of a cutter 36, shown in FIG. 2, which then engages andcuts joint surface 14. Referring again to FIG. 1, a handle grip portion40 is preferably located at the rear of device 10 substantially oppositeguide surface 30. Preferably, handle means 40 is generally verticallyoriented. Handle means 40 may also conveniently include trigger switchmeans 42 for controlling the electrical operation of plate joiner device10.

Housing section 22 comprising handle 40 is preferably slidably mountedin track means 44 on base 20. Preferably housing section 22 is aprecision machined housing which operates with virtually no lateralmotion when mounted in track 44. This enhances the accuracy of cutsbeing made in various workpieces 12. Further, movement of housingsection 22 toward and away from workpiece 12 in the direction of linesA--A, FIG. 1, is then preferably accomplished by simple push-pullmovement imparted to handle means 40.

Miter guide means 50 is preferably adjustably attached to guide surface30. As will be further detailed, miter guide means 50 comprises improvedmeans for orienting and guiding precision plunge cuts perpendicularlyinto joint surfaces shaped as carcase mitered joints, for example, atmitered angles of 45 degrees, as illustrated in FIG. 3. Device 10 mayalso be used on joint surfaces having 90° angles as shown in FIGS. 1 and2. Positioning means 51 is provided to facilitate the positioning ofmiter guide means 50 on guide surface 30 and for maintaining miter guidemeans 50 in proper horizontal alignment. Flanges 54 are preferablyprovided to facilitate attachment of miter guide means 50 onto guidesurface 30 and to provide horizontal stability to ensure properhorizontal alignment of miter guide means 50 relative to workpiece 12and cutter 36. Horizontal stabilizers or flanges 54 preferably extendfrom miter guide plate projection 52 along opposing side portions ofguide surface 30. In the preferred embodiment, flanges 54 slidablyengage outside surfaces of base 20 for permitting adjustment of theplunge cut distance from the outside surface of a workpiece whilemaintaining parallelism between the outside surface of the workpiece andplunge cut longitudinal edges 16A on a joint surface 14.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of a preferred embodiment plate joinerdevice shown abutting a 90 degree joint surface 14 of workpiece 12. Aspreviously indicated, miter guide means 50 may be preferably adjustedvertically on guide surface 30 to accommodate workpieces 12 havingvarious thicknesses. As illustrated in FIG. 2, plate joiner device 10has made a plunge cut 16 into workpiece 12 using cutter 36, which isshown in a position retracted from workpieces 12. Miter guide means 50is preferably adjustably attached to guide surface 30 by attaching means55. Preferably, attaching means 55 comprises threaded fasteners orsimilar means for tightening or releasing miter guide means 50 ontoguide surface 30. Further, a plurality of attaching means 55 may beprovided.

FIG. 3 is an environmental illustration depicting a side elevation viewof a preferred embodiment plate joiner device 10 in contact with a jointsurface 14 of wood plate 12, the joint surface 14 being angled in theshape of a mitered joint. As shown in FIG. 3, miter guide means 50 hasbeen re-positioned, in comparison to FIG. 2, for contact of miter guideplate 53 with outer surface 56 of workpiece 12. In the preferredembodiment, re-positioning of miter guide means 50 is readilyaccomplished with the aid of flanges 54 and attaching means 55. Miterguide plate 53 is oriented at a predetermined angle to guide surface 30,which preferably includes an angle of 45° to guide surface 30.

It is to be appreciated that of the many joints which may be formedusing plate joiner devices, the mitered carcase joint is often the mostdifficult to precisely join. A cause of this difficulty is due to thevaried thicknesses of otherwise precisely matched workpieces 12. Forexample, as illustrated in FIG. 4, differences in the thicknesses ofworkpieces 12 which are to be joined at joint surfaces 14 may show up asmisalignment of outer surfaces 56, thus presenting a poor appearance.The misalignment occurs principally due to plate joiners which haveguide means that contact and align from the back or inner surface 58 ofworkpieces 12 being joined. As a result, the location of the cut isspaced from the inner surfaces 58 rather than the outer surfaces 56,causing differences in workpiece thickness to become apparent from themisaligned outer surfaces 56. Such an outcome is undesirable and resultsin wasted effort and resources. Further difficulties arise when a plungecut location is referenced from an outer surface without also securelyengaging the mitered portion of the carcase workpiece or withoutorienting the plunge cut angle from the outside surface so that theplunge cuts are accurately and reliably made perpendicularly to thejoint surface.

However, as shown in FIG. 3, plate joiner device 10 of the presentinvention provides miter guide means 50 which overcomes the misalignmentproblem of other devices while also providing proper angular orientationfor the plunge cuts. Miter guide means 50 permits precision plunge cutswhich are measured and oriented from outer surface 56. This is achievedby positioning outer surface 56 against miter guide plate 53 and bypositioning joint surface 14 against guide surface 30. Consequently,cutter 36 imparts a precision plunge cut 16 into joint surface 14independent of the thickness of either of workpieces 12 which are to bejoined and at an angular orientation which is perpendicular to jointsurfaced 14; in the preferred embodiment, this is accomplished bysecurely engaging the mitered portion of the carcase workpiece throughcontact of miter guide means with both the mitered joint surface and theoutside surface of the workpiece and by referencing the angle of theplunge cut from outer surface 56 of workpiece 12. Therefore, miteredcarcase joints may be formed using preferred plate joiner device 10which insures that the joint surfaces 14 and the outside surfaces 56will be properly aligned even when using workpieces 12 of differentthicknesses, as illustrated in FIG. 4A. As illustrated in FIG. 3,preferred plate joiner 10 with miter guide means 50 securely engages themitered portion of carcase workpiece 12, holds workpiece 12 firmly inplace, and allows for improved accuracy of the plunge cut 16 in jointsurface 14. Also, precision is enhanced by structural support means 59located on miter guide means 50. Structural support means 59 aids inmaintaining the predetermined angle of miter guide plate 53 andperpendicular guide plate 57.

After plunge cuts 16 are made in joint surfaces 14, connecting means 60is inserted with glue in opposing portions of the plunge cuts.Connecting means 60 is preferably a pressed wood biscuit or wafer ofgenerally arcuate shape.

FIG. 5 is a front elevation view of preferred plate joiner device 10with guide surface 30 and miter guide means 50 removed. FIG. 5illustrates a preferred relationship of base 20 with slidably mountedhousing section 22. Preferably, spring means 64, further illustrated inFIG. 7, maintains cutter 36 away from contact with workpiece 12 whendevice 10 is not in use. However, the force of spring means 64 may bereadily overcome by a user preferably holding handle means 40 andpushing forward, making housing section 22 slide in track means 44toward workpiece 12. Calibration means 70 is also illustrated.Calibration means 70 preferably provides means for calibrating andadjusting the depth of penetration of cutter 36 into wood plate 12.

FIG. 6 illustrates a fragmentary side crosssection view taken generallyalong lines 6--6 of FIG. 5. FIG. 6 illustrates motor section 24 andblade section 26. More specifically, motor section 24 comprises a motor74 having an output shaft 76. A 5 amp or similar motor may be employed.Further, output shaft 76 of motor 74 has an axis X which is preferablyoriented substantially parallel to guide surface 30 and substantiallyperpendicular to cutter slot 34. Also, blade section 26 preferablycomprises a drive shaft 80 which is connected with cutter 36.Preferably, drive shaft 80 has an axis Y oriented substantially parallelto guide surface 30 and substantially perpendicular to cutter slot 34.Cutter 36 may comprise a six tooth, carbide-tipped cutter blade, orother plate joiner cutter blades may be used. Spacing may be providedbetween drive shaft 80 and output shaft 76 for achieving desired powerratios or for allowing setback of vertically oriented housing 22 fromthe first end portion 18 of device 10. Alternately, drive shaft 80 maybe spaced relative to guide surface 30. This spacing allows improvedmaneuverability of device 10 relative to obstacles located aboveworkpiece 12 which would otherwise prevent access of device 10 due toupright motor section 24.

Quiet drive means 82 is provided to rotate cutter 36 without the use ofinterlocking gears between drive shaft 80 and output shaft 76.Preferably, quiet drive means 82 comprises drive shaft pulley means 84located on drive shaft 80. Drive shaft pulley means 84 is constructedand arranged to accept belt drive means 86 which powers drive shaft 80.Output shaft pulley means 88 is preferably located on output shaft 76.Output shaft pulley means 88 is constructed and arranged to accept beltdrive means 86 to provide power from output shaft 76 to drive shaft 80.Therefore, belt drive means 86 permits coupling of drive shaft pulleymeans 84 and output shaft pulley means 88 so that motor 74 drives cutter36 without the intense noise or heat of interlocking gears. Indeed,quiet drive means 82 of preferred plate joiner device 10 operates at adecibel level substantially lower than that of plate joiner deviceswhich utilize other drive means, such as interlocking gear drives orsimilar mechanisms. Accordingly, quiet drive means 82 allows morepreferable environmental conditions when operating plate joiner device10. Belt drive means 82 is preferably a Goodyear brand belt drive of theSUPER TORQUE PD trademark variety, although other combinations of beltdrive means and motor are possible while achieving the advantages ofthis embodiment.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 7, it has been recognized by thoseskilled in the art that primary handle means 40 provides superiorergonomic means for moving housing section 22, and therefore cutter 36,toward and away from workpiece 12, while also allowing the fingers ofone using device 10 to remain free of the sliding base mechanism and,therefore, safe from pinching due to that sliding action. Moreover, theorientation of handle means 40 relative to base 20 and guide surface 30provides means for conveniently positioning and safely holding guidesurface 30 of base 20 at a predetermined point on joint surface 14.These advantages are optimally achieved by aligning handle means 40along the central axis of plate joiner device 10, as illustrated by lineZ--Z in FIG. 7. Also, handle means 40 preferably includes a generallyvertically oriented axis. This superior orientation of handle means 40is preferably further enhanced by having an upper portion 90conveniently located slightly forward of a lower portion 92, thusproviding a forward rake, and by having trigger switch means 42 locatedon handle means 40 for on/off electrical control of device 10.Preferably, trigger switch 42 is spring loaded to provide further easeand safety of operation. Thus, a plate joiner is provided with a handlehaving a superior orientation comprising: a base having a first endportion comprising a guide surface with a cutter slot; a cutter normallyhoused in the base, the cutter having a drive shaft with an axisoriented substantially parallel to the guide surface and substantiallyperpendicular to the cutter slot; means for causing the cutter toprotrude from the base through the cutter slot and to make a plunge cutinto a joint surface of a workpiece when the guide surface of the baseis pressed against the joint surface; and handle means attached to asecond end portion of the base substantially opposite the first endportion for orienting the guide surface to the joint surface of theworkpiece, the handle means having a substantially vertical grippingportion with an axis oriented substantially parallel to the axis of thecutter drive shaft. The plate joiner with a handle having a superiororientation may also comprise handle means comprising a longitudinalaxis having a forward rake. Further, this handle means may comprise anauxiliary handle located substantially above the first end portion ofthe base behind the plane of the guide surface. The present plate joinerwith a handle having a superior orientation may comprise handle meanscomprising an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion beingpositioned closer to the plane of the guide surface than the lowerportion to facilitate the gripping orientation of a user's hand. Thisplate joiner having a handle having a superior orientation may alsocomprise handle means comprising trigger switch means for electricallycontrolling the operation of the cutter, the trigger switch means beingconstructed and arranged adjacent the gripping portion so that thetrigger switch means may be readily controlled by a finger of a user'sgripping hand. Another embodiment of the present invention comprises aplate joiner with a handle having a superior orientation, comprising:plunge cutting means having a cutter normally housed in a base forforming a plunge cut; and a primary handle having a gripping portionwith a longitudinal axis oriented substantially perpendicularly to thecutter. This alternate embodiment plate joiner with a handle having asuperior orientation, may also comprise: a gripping portion longitudinalaxis having a forward rake; a primary handle comprising an auxiliaryhandle located substantially above the base and forward of the primaryhandle; a primary handle comprising an upper portion and a lowerportion, the upper portion being positioned closer to the axis of thecutter drive shaft than the lower portion to facilitate the grippingorientation of a user's hand; or a primary handle comprising triggerswitch means for electrically controlling the operation of the cutter,the rigger switch means being constructed and arranged adjacent thegripping portion so that the trigger switch means may be readilycontrolled by a finger of a user's gripping hand. Yet another embodimentof the present invention comprises a plate joiner with a handle having asuperior orientation, comprising: a housing comprising a primary handle;a base slidably attached to the housing; plunge cutting means having acutter normally housed in the base for forming a plunge cut when thebase is pressed against a joint surface and caused to slide toward theprimary handle; and a primary handle having a gripping portion with alongitudinal axis oriented substantially perpendicularly to the cutter,the gripping portion being located above the slidably attached base. Theimmediately described above alternate embodiment plate joiner with ahandle having a superior orientation may also comprise: a grippingportion longitudinal axis having a forward rake; a primary handlecomprising an auxiliary handle located substantially above the base andforward of the primary handle; a primary handle comprising an upperportion and a lower portion, the upper portion being positioned closerto the axis of the cutter drive shaft than the lower portion tofacilitate the gripping orientation of a user's hand; or a primaryhandle comprising trigger switch means for electrically controlling theoperation of the cutter, the trigger switch means being constructed andarranged adjacent the gripping portion so that the trigger switch meansmay be readily controlled by a finger of a user's gripping hand.

The combination of miter guide means 50, handle means 40, and triggerswitch means 42, provides means for maintaining the user's hands at adistance substantially away from cutter 36 during operation. Moreover,alignment means 94 preferably located on base 20, and on top of housingsection 22, and on a forward portion of miter guide means 50 is usefulfor properly aligning cutter 36 with a predetermined point to be cut onjoint surface 14. Alignment means 94 may comprise notches, grooves,etchings, lines, and other focusing means. Additionally, viewing means96 is preferably provided which permits operable viewing of the positionof cutter 36 when cutter 36 protrudes from base 20 through cutter slot34. Viewing means 96 also preferably permits viewing of joint surface 14when cutter 36 is retracted within base 20.

Accordingly, miter guide means 50 provides for precision placement ofplunge cuts 16 in a mitered carcase joint surface 14 independent ofworkpiece 12 thickness while also providing accurate angular orientationfor plunge cuts 16 referenced from outer surface 56 of workpiece 12.Further, the superior orientation of handle means 40 providessubstantial advantages and accommodates the natural push/pull action ofplate joining. Yet another advantage of preferred plate joiner device 10includes quiet drive means 82 which allows operation of device 10 at adecibel level and heat generation level which are substantially lessthan levels made by other plate joiner devices having different drivesystems. Quite drive means 82 also contributes to longer operating livesof devices such as device 10, as well as permitting savings inmanufacturing costs.

It is to be understood that while certain embodiments of the presentinvention have been illustrated and described, the invention is not tobe limited to the specific forms or arrangements of parts described andshown above, since others skilled in the art may devise otherembodiments still within the limits of the claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A plate joiner with a handle having a superiororientation comprising:(a) a base having a first end portion comprisinga guide surface with a cutter slot; (b) a cutter normally housed in thebase, the cutter having a drive shaft with an axis orientedsubstantially parallel to the guide surface and substantiallyperpendicular to the cutter slot; (c) handle means attached to a secondend portion of the base substantially opposite the first end portion fororienting the guide surface to the joint surface of the workpiece, andfor causing the cutter to protrude from the base through the cutter slotand to make a plunge cut into a joint surface of a workpiece when theguide surface of the base is pressed against the joint surface, thehandle means having a substantially vertical gripping portion with anaxis oriented substantially parallel to the axis of the cutter driveshaft.
 2. The plate joiner of claim 1 wherein the handle means furthercomprises an auxiliary handle located substantially above the first endportion of the base behind the plane of the guide surface.
 3. The platejoiner of claim 1 wherein the handle means comprises an upper portionand a lower portion, the upper portion being positioned closer to theplane of the guide surface than the lower portion to provide a forwardrake and to facilitate the gripping orientation of a user's hand.
 4. Theplate joiner of claim 1 wherein the handle means comprises triggerswitch means for electrically controlling the operation of the cutter,the trigger switch means being constructed and arranged adjacent thegripping portion so that the trigger switch means may be readilycontrolled by a finger of a user's gripping hand.
 5. A plate joiner witha handle having a superior orientation, comprising:(a) plunge cuttingmeans having a cutter normally housed in a base for forming a plungecut; and (b) a primary handle having a gripping portion with alongitudinal axis oriented substantially perpendicularly to the cutter.6. The plate joiner of claim 5 wherein the longitudinal axis has aforward rake.
 7. The plate joiner of claim 5 wherein the primary handleincludes an auxiliary handle located substantially above the base andforward of the primary handle.
 8. The plate joiner of claim 5 whereinthe primary handle comprises an upper portion and a lower portion, theupper portion being positioned closer to the axis of the cutter driveshaft than the lower portion to facilitate the gripping orientation of auser's hand.
 9. The plate joiner of claim 5 wherein the primary handlecomprises trigger switch means for electrically controlling theoperation of the cutter, the trigger switch means being constructed andarranged adjacent the gripping portion so that the trigger switch meansmay be readily controlled by a finger of a user's gripping hand.
 10. Aplate joiner with a handle having a superior orientation, comprising:(a)a housing comprising a primary handle; (b) a base slidably attached tothe housing; (c) plunge cutting means having a cutter normally housed inthe base for forming a plunge cut when the base is pressed against ajoint surface and caused to slide toward the primary handle; (d) theprimary handle having a gripping portion with a longitudinal axisoriented substantially perpendicularly to the cutter, the grippingportion being located above the slidably attached base.
 11. The platejoiner of claim 10 wherein the longitudinal axis has a forward rake. 12.The plate joiner of claim 10 wherein the primary handle comprises anauxiliary handle located substantially above the base and forward of theprimary handle.
 13. The plate joiner of claim 10 wherein the primaryhandle comprises an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portionbeing positioned closer to the axis of the cutter drive shaft than thelower portion to facilitate the gripping orientation of a user's hand.14. The plate joiner of claim 10 wherein the primary handle comprisestrigger switch mean for electrically controlling the operation of thecutter, the trigger switch means being constructed and arranged adjacentthe gripping portion so that the trigger switch means may be readilycontrolled by a finger of a user's gripping hand.
 15. A plate joinerwith a handle having a superior orientation comprising:(a) a base havinga first end portion comprising a guide surface with a cutter slot; (b) acutter normally housed in the base, the cutter having a drive shaft withan axis oriented substantially parallel to the guide surface andsubstantially perpendicular to the cutter slot; (c) handle means fororienting the guide surface to the joint surface of a workpiece, thehandle means comprising a substantially vertical handle and an auxiliaryhandle, the substantially vertical handle being located at a second endportion of the base substantially opposite the first end portion, thesubstantially vertical handle having an upper portion and a lowerportion, the upper portion being positioned closer to the plane of theguide surface than the lower portion, and the auxiliary handle beinglocated substantially above the first end portion of the base behind theplane of the guide surface.